If your concrete looks tired, stained or dusty, you will usually hear three options: seal it, coat it, or resurface it. They are not the same job, and picking the wrong one wastes money or fails early.
Here is a plain guide to how Rayco thinks about each option for Perth homes and businesses — using Dulux Avista systems where they fit.
Quick comparison
| Sealing | Coating | Resurfacing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Protects and refreshes the slab you already have | Builds a more substantial wearing surface on top | Applies a decorative overlay that can change colour and pattern |
| Look | Clear wet-look / natural, or a tinted sealer film | Colour and wear coat; often garage/commercial floors | New colour, stencil or decorative finish across the surface |
| Best when | Slab is sound; you want protection and easier cleaning | You need tougher traffic or chemical resistance (e.g. garage) | You want a full visual refresh without digging the slab up |
| Typical Rayco path | Sealing and coating with Avista exterior acrylics | Avista Waterbased Epoxy ± urethane / polyaspartic topcoats | Concrete resurfacing (Dulux Avista overlay) |
What sealing means
A sealer either soaks into porous concrete (penetrating) or forms a thin protective film on the surface (most Dulux Avista driveway acrylics).
On exterior driveways, paths and patios, Rayco typically uses Dulux Avista solvent acrylic sealers such as:
- General Purpose — clear matt or semi-gloss for plain and decorative exterior concrete
- Extended Wear — when petrol marks and higher wear matter more
- Exposed Aggregate Sealer — purpose-built for exposed aggregate
Coloured exterior options include solvent Tintable Base / Coloured Concrete Sealer, or Waterbased Tintable Base (including Colorbond® colours) with the correct primers.
Done properly, sealing helps reduce staining, dusting and dirt pickup, helps the surface shed water, and makes cleaning easier. It does not turn concrete into a waterproofing membrane — more on that in a separate post.
Sealing is right when: the slab is structurally sound, you like the existing look (or only want a clear/tint refresh), and the main goal is protection and maintenance.
What coating means
A coating builds a more substantial wearing layer. For Rayco, that usually means garage and internal floors: Dulux Avista Waterbased Epoxy (with decorative flake options), then a 2 Pack Urethane, Polyaspartic or Polyurethane topcoat where traffic and chemical exposure call for it.
Driveway solvent acrylic sealers are exterior only. They are not the right chemistry for a garage or workshop floor — even though people often ask for “the same sealer as the driveway” indoors.
Coating is right when: you need a tougher floor system, colour or flake finish inside, or commercial traffic and cleaning regimes that outgrow a thin exterior acrylic film.
See also: epoxy flooring for showpiece garage floors.
What resurfacing means
Concrete resurfacing is a decorative overlay system (Dulux Avista). It can change colour and pattern across the whole surface — ideal when the slab is sound but the look is tired, stained or simply outdated.
Resurfacing is not the same as “just sealing.” You are applying a new wearing/decorative layer, then sealing as the system requires. It is often far cheaper than digging up and replacing concrete — but only if the base slab is sound.
Resurfacing is right when: you want a full visual change (colour, stencil, contemporary finish) and assessment shows the existing concrete can take an overlay.
More detail: Concrete resurfacing Perth.
How we choose on site
On a site visit we look at:
- Condition of the slab — cracks, spalling, movement, moisture
- Where it sits — exterior sun/UV vs garage/internal
- How it is used — cars, foot traffic, chemicals, cleaning
- Slope and grip — film sealers can reduce slip resistance; steep slopes (about 1:8 or steeper) need careful advice
- The finish you want — clear, coloured sealer, epoxy floor, or full overlay
Often the answer starts with patch repairs and proper preparation, then the right Dulux Avista system — not a product chosen from a brochure alone.
Common mix-ups we hear in Perth
- “Just seal it” when the look is the problem — sealing protects; resurfacing changes the appearance.
- “Coat the garage with driveway sealer” — wrong chemistry; use an interior floor system.
- “Seal it so it never leaks” — sealers are not membrane waterproofing.
- Skipping prep — dirt, laitance or failing old sealer under a new film is a classic early failure.
Next step
If you are unsure which path fits your driveway, path, patio, stairs or floor, we will assess it properly and quote the system that matches how you use the area.
Enquire about sealing and coating · Enquire about resurfacing
Product names and guidance reflect Dulux Avista Australian product literature. Final specification is always confirmed on site for your concrete and conditions.
Related reading: Sealing vs coating vs resurfacing · Garage floor vs driveway sealer · Are concrete sealers waterproof?
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